The present invention relates to a rear wheel steering device, and more particularly, to a rear wheel steering device having a transmission mechanism suitable for transmitting a rotational force of an electric motor to a rod in motor vehicle applications.
Prior art rear wheel steering devices use a rack and pinion driven through a hypoid gear from an electric motor. This mechanism requires initial contact backlash adjustment between the rack and the pinion, as well as additional adjustments to compensate for wear during use of the vehicle. The backlash adjustment requires additional parts and machining and the thrusts generated by the rack and pinion require expensive angular contact thrust bearings as well as a thrust bearing to absorb thrust forces in the hypoid gear shaft.
Initial backlash adjustment is undesirable because the apparatus to permit it, and the labor to accomplish it, adds to the cost of the rear wheel steering device. Periodic adjustment following use is undesirable since it interferes with easy use of the vehicle by the purchaser.